Cropped tapered trousers? Really?

I have always been a fan of Trinny and Susannah.  I particularly like their argument, back in their first What Not To Wear books, that cropped, tapered trousers are a definite no no.

I'm very aware that Trinny and Susannah started sharing, some might say spouting, their fashion advice a good ten years ago now, and those of you in fashion circles will obviously say that their view then shouldn't be used as good fashion advice now.

Before this week I would have disagreed.  There are just some items of clothing that will never ever look flattering on anyone other than a size zero, 6 ft tall, 18 year old, and cropped trousers is just one of them.

The fact that so many size 16, short, middle-aged women insist on wearing them astounds me.  They don't flatter your leg; in fact they make it look even shorter, and make you look even wider. 

 Why do it?

This week I may be stepping down from my soap box and admitting that there may just be instances where the cropped trouser has a lot going for it.

A month ago I bought a pair from Monsoon (surprise surprise).  They are lovely and comfortable and were purchased specifically for my summer holiday.  I had my doubts before trying them on, but they looked OK and I figured I could at last buy a pair of trousers that I didn't have to re-hem.  I'm 5 ft 6, you see.  This is taller than average, but short enough that 'long' trousers drape on the floor without a minimum of a 4 inch heel.  So my trousers are either re-hemmed, or I wear them with the heels. 

 

This has always caused me a problem at this time of year; particularly this year; when it's raining a lot.  You see I don't like doing the school run in my heels.  Read more about this HERE.   I buy particularly nice heels for work and don't want them ruining.  The thought of trudging through the mud and puddles to the school yard and standing there with my 3 year old stamping all over my feet makes my heart sink.  So I try and wear flats for the school run (all the better for chasing a runaway child down the road in).   Of course my long trousers then end up soaked.  So I have to tuck them into wellies (not flattering), tuck them into pop-socks (even less flattering) or wear a skirt.

But now I have discovered the cropped trouser.  Not just any cropped trouser.  The work cropped trouser.  The cropped trouser that has this week been worn with flats to work.  It's a first – I NEVER wear flats to work, but I did and it was fine. Though I won't be doing flats again; I like being tall too much!  

But the slightly less smart, but nevertheless smart enough for work cropped trouser worn with my favourite smart Irregular Choice heels; now that was a genius plan.  I wore flats in the car and on the school run; happily avoided looking daft, and popped on the heels at work.  

No drenched trousers.

They don't make me look nearly as tall as the boot-cut, overly long trousers do.  But they solve the rain problem.

So I apologise Trinny and Susannah, but I may well be buying some more!

*I apologise for the picture quality, but my photographer is only 6 years old! Personally I think she did quite well with a dodgy model.